Specialty
Determining the biotic and abiotic controls on ecosystem-level carbon and energy balance across spatial and temporal scales.
Determining the biotic and abiotic controls on ecosystem-level carbon and energy balance across spatial and temporal scales.
I use experimental, laboratory, and observational approaches to investigate processes and mechanisms that transport mass and energy from ecosystems to the atmosphere across local, regional, and global scales. In particular, my research focuses on understanding
My approaches rigorously confront theory with applied science and engineering.
Developing a predictive capacity for ecological processes governs my approaches toward science, i.e., an ecological forecasting. This a robust iterative approach that begins with confronting theory, which in turn informs the types of observations that have to be made, which in turn informs new understandings and modeling approaches. However, many ecological processes are non linear and stochastic (e.g., tipping points, effects of drought and changes in precipitation, etc.). Hence, the need for experiments/process studies to elucidate these unknown processes and non-linear responses. Integrating theory, observations, models and experiments is not a static process; quite the contrary, to enhance our predictive ability much be done dynamically and iteratively over time (Fig 1).
This philosophy calls for
I think implementing this philosophy is a new paradigm for ecological research.
I use a diverse set of tools including micrometeorological techniques, stable isotope analysis, time series analyses, modeling and geostatistics, to extrapolate from fine-to-coarse spatial scales and to connect ecological processes to patterns. My research contributes directly in addressing The National Plan for Earth Observations, Group on Earth Observations, National Research Council’s Grand Environmental Challenges, the National Ecological Observatory Network’s Grand Challenge questions, Societal Benefit Areas, and will continue to play a role in the National Policy.
Roberti, J. A., Ayres, E., Henry LoescherTang, J., Starr, G., Durden, D. J., Smith, D. E., de la Reguera, E., Morkeski, K., McKlveen, M., Benstead, H., Mike SanClements, Lee, R. H., Gebremedhin, M., Zulueta, R. C. 2018: A robust calibration method for continental-scale soil water content measurements. Vadose Zone Journal, 17(1): article UNSP 170177. DOI: 10.2136/vzj2017.10.0177
Villarreal, S., Guevara, M., Alcaraz-Segura, D., Brunsell, N. A., Hayes, D., Henry Loescher, Vargas, R. 2018: Ecosystem functional diversity and the representativeness of environmental networks across the conterminous United States. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 262: 423-433. DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2018.07.016
Chabbi, A., Lehmann, J., Ciais, P., Henry Loescher, Cotrufo, M. F., Don, A., Mike SanClements, Schipper, L., Six, J., Smith, P., Rumpel, C. 2017: Aligning agriculture and climate policy. Nature Climate Change, 7(5): 307-309. DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3286
Gheysari, M., Sadeghi, S.-H., Henry Loescher, Amiri, S., Zareian, M. J., Majidi, M. M., Asgarinia, P., Payero, J. O. 2017: Comparison of deficit irrigation management strategies on root, plant growth and biomass productivity of silage maize. Agricultural Water Management, 182: 126-138. DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2016.12.014
Vargas, R., Alcaraz-Segura, D., Birdsey, R., Brunsell, N. A., Cruz, C. O., de Jong, B., Etchevers, J., Guevara, M., Hayes, D. J., Johnson, K., Henry Loescher, Paz, F., Ryu, Y., Sanchez, Z., Toledo-Gutierrez, K. P. 2017: Enhancing interoperability to facilitate implementation of REDD+: Case study of Mexico. Carbon Management, 8(1): 57-65. DOI: 10.1080/17583004.2017.1285177
Sierra, C. A., Malghani, S., Henry Loescher 2017: Interactions among temperature, moisture, and oxygen concentrations in controlling decomposition rates in a boreal forest soil. Biogeosciences, 14(3): 703-710. DOI: 10.5194/bg-14-703-2017
Kunwor, S., Starr, G., Henry Loescher, Staudhammer, C. L. 2017: Preserving the variance in imputed eddy-covariance measurements: Alternative methods for defensible gap filling. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 232: 635-649. DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2016.10.018
Csavina, J., Roberti, J. A., Taylor, J. R., Henry Loescher 2017: Traceable measurements and calibration: A primer on uncertainty analysis. Ecosphere, 8(2): article e01683. DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1683
Cavaleri, M. A., Coble, A. P., Ryan, M. G., Bauerle, W. L., Henry Loescher, Oberbauer, S. F. 2017: Tropical rainforest carbon sink declines during EI NiƱo as a result of reduced photosynthesis and increased respiration rates. New Phytologist, 216(1): 136-149. DOI: 10.1111/nph.14724